Blueberry Pie with Almond Crust (Made from scratch)

When I create something new with berries I guess I get very excited, cos I love berries and they are so easy to cook with and the results are amazingly delicious. I have made the same recipe with strawberries which I learnt it from a friend of mine, so I thought if I can make it with strawberries then why not with blueberries. :)

Here is the recipe for the Strawberry Pie that I made previously.

When I made with strawberries, I didn't add the cream cheese topping for the pics, so I thought this post would be a new one with all the enhancements and improvements in all aspects like pics, recipe etc.,

Before I could take the pics of the whole pie...we started eating it...so still have to work on that part! :)

 So I hope you all will enjoy it too! :)

Ingredients:
-----------
For the Almond Crust:
------------------------
1 1/2 cups finely chopped Almonds (You can use blanched almonds too if you don’t like the whole almonds)
3 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp Butter at room temperature.

For the Blueberry Filling:
-------------------------------
3 cups Blueberries washed and keep in fridge to keep it chill.

For the Blueberry Glaze:
------------------------------
1 cup Sugar
2 tbsp Cornstarch or 1 tsp Knox
1/2 cup Water
2 cup mashed Blueberries

For Cream Cheese Topping:
-----------------------------
8 oz package Cream Cheese at room temperature
1 cup Whipping cream (cold)
3/4 cup powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

Method:
---------
To make the Crust:
--------------------
1. In a pan add the chopped almonds and roast them in medium low flame until they turn light brown. Allow to cool it and blend them in a mixer with the melted butter and sugar.
2. Preheat oven to 400F
3. Place this mixture in a 9" or 9 1/2" pie pan and press down with a fork in the center and work it through the sides up till you can take it. Make sure it is even.
4. Bake this crust for about 8-10 mins or until the crust turns light brown.
5. Remove it from oven and cool it to room temperature.
6. Now add the blueberries over the top of the crust or you can even place these blueberries over the glaze that we are going to make.

To make the Glaze:
--------------------
1. In a sauce pan add all the ingredients and mix it well with a whisk.
2. Bring the flame up to a boil, and then reduce it to low and keep stirring and cook the glaze for about 5 mins or until it becomes thick.
3. Off the flame. Allow it to cool and keep in fridge so that it's is chilled.

To make the Cream Cheese Topping:
--------------------------------------
1. In a mixing bowl (make sure even the bowl is cold - to make it cold you can place the bowl in freezer too) add the the whipping cream with an electric hand mixer, beat it until stiff peaks form.
2. Add the powdered sugar and mix again.

3. In another bowl add the cream cheese and carefully add the whipped cream in batches and fold it in the cream cheese, so that you don't loose the air. (I did not use this topping this time, but I topped the pie with Vanilla Ice Cream while serving a piece of the pie - you can do anything of your choice or even you can use just a whipped cream topping and decorate the pie).
4. Keep this topping in fridge so that it remains cold.

Assembling the Pie:
--------------------
1. Place the pie crust and pour the glaze over it and arrange the strawberries and top it with cream cheese topping or any topping of your choice or ice cream and allow it to set in the fridge for about 2-3 hrs or overnight would be best to get a perfect slice of the pie.